Tag Archives: Pop Culture

Post navigation

Celebrating 25 years of my second album. Most fans think of my solo debut as the breakthrough and it was – as well as being trendsetting in style and video. However my second album is the one that was really quietly the most pioneering and to me overshadowed. My infusion of high fashion, commercial ad campaigns and layouts – uncommon for any black artist at the time, and only by one other Madonna. ‘Larger Than Life’ ushered in a raised bar for other female artists that would follow. The pioneering “Friends” featuring Eric B & Rakim; the first to feature Pop/R&B/Hip-Hop 16 bar verses and crossing over R&B, Pop, Dance, Hip Hop – as well as a genre crossing video featuring transgender, drag queens, underground club culture, B-Boys and Girls, voguing and Jean Paul-Gaultier couture blended into a mix of high end and street chic as well as my highest charting ballad ‘Everything.” There was no press release to stir controversy and bring attention about the casting of the video – for me it wasn’t about that. Everyone in the video was real, friends of friends – not models or professionals. Tyrone Procter helped cast it. Eric B and Rakim called some of their friends. What I wanted to represent the types of clubs I liked dancing at full of of types of people united by the music and stepping out in style to get down on the dance floor. It was a real club scene in the west village on a hot summer afternoon in NYC. It went over the heads of a lot of people..my label didn’t know what to make of it, and weren’t happy with it – but let me do what I envisioned and I’m thankful.

I also found success overseas in the Japan, Germany, Belgium and the United Kingdom among others as well. It was always a challenge because I wasn’t the typical ‘urban black artist’ and was always in a struggle to shine on my own terms, remaining true to myself, wanting to have standards, authenticity to my artistry. 25 years later this is still true in everything I do whether on the commercial radar or not. It’s true no matter what your job or career is – be the best you.

“Real Love” which remains one of MTV’s Most Nominated Video’s and “Most of All” are featured on the Top 28 David Fincher video’s : HERE

For what I lack in controversy or gossip headline worthiness (thankfully), it’s more than enough for me to just be about quality music, class and artistry – still. Thank you to all who appreciate, support and understand “It’s In The Music!”

I was really looking forward to this piece. Originally, I was to be photographed by Hedi Slimane of Saint Laurent back in January. Due to scheduling conflicts repeatedly and delays, V settled on photographer Mason Poole. I looked at his portfolio and approved the choice though disappointed about the change. In life, you have to roll with the changes, ups and downs. At times, though when situations seem rocky from the start it could be a sign to not do something. After seeing what was done to my face in the summer issue of V, where the article is about the forthcoming “Paradise” – my shock, disappointment and outrage as well as that of my publicist and others on my team sent us all in a tailspin for a few days. Making matters worse was the dismissive response “Sorry you all feel this way, but all of the editors love it.” Really? I guess so when it’s not their face distorted and looking nothing like themselves. The photographer must also be to blame which is too bad because I walked away feeling really good about the session. I figured they might morph my body into the standard Hollywood size 2, never in my wildest imagine with so many photo sessions and fashion layouts under my belt did I envision this – Jody Watley Cyborg Woman – Someone Else’s Face. Needless to say – this is something that I have to love with because it’s published and nothing can be done. In the scheme of life and the absurdity of it all – I have to laugh about it…counting blessings and not woes. That said, shame on V and Mason Poole for doing this to me. I get a bit of photoshop and refinement done by experts who know what they are doing. Bad photoshop and misuse of the technology is the worst. People should really learn their craft, not be allowed to make people look unrecognizable – editors are you listening?! Thank you to writer Mark Jacobs for his interview.

Jody Watley in Summer 2014 V Magazine – Who is that woman?

Jody Watley Personal Candids from the V Magazine session – glad we took some snaps of our own!

We saw this jeep totally by accident while scouting locations on a photo session for my tour book in 1989. It was too good to pass up. The shot only took a few minutes, renegade style and we were out of there.

All self styled – my vision was for the tour book to be all about a fashion editorial aesthetic and nothing like any tour book photo’s I’d seen with my own sense of style and individuality captured. Although not included in the current Gaultier exhibition, I was an early supporter of his designs as seen in a lot of my early photo’s and video’s, and as early as 1984 discovering him while living in London. Although this was decades ago, it’s totally timeless; picture Rihanna, Solange or one of today’s young fashionable artists – would still work.